Interlocking mechanism for filing cases and the like



A. l-l.l ANDERssoN INTERLOCKING MECHANISM FOR FILING CASES AND THE LIKE Filed oct. 1,8., 1923 Oct. 12 1926. 1,602,383

STTES incassi are, ris.

.AXEL HERMAN ANDERSSON, 0F BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 BAKER- VAWTERCOMPANY, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F MICHI- INTERLOCKING MECHANISM FOR FILING CASES AND THE LIKE.

Application led Octoberl 18, 1923. Serial No. 669,368.

My invention relates to an interlocking device which in its broader aspect is ap-l plicable generally to any kind of structures having contiguous walls or other frame members. It is especially useful for locking together the units of various kinds of sectional sheet metal cabinets or cases and for `the purpose of exposition is hereinafter particularly described as applied to sectional sheet metal filing cases or cabinets such as have come of recent years into extensive use in business oiiices. The object of my invention is the production of novel and improved interlocking mechanism suitable for the requirements in view which shall be of simple construction, easily manipulated to positively lock the sections tightly together, and in a high degree strong and secure, so that a stack of interlocked files shall in eect become a unitary structure.

With this purpose and the advantages mentioned in view' I have invented and devised' the interlocking device'hereinafter described in detail, and my invention resides in the construction and arrangement of the cooperating members, the essential elements of the invention being more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating my invention as applied in a practical and preferred form to sheet metal tiling receptacles, Figure l is a perspective of adjacent portions of two filing case sections, broken away, adjacent the locking devices to show the latter in locked position; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of one end of the upper filing case section, the lower one of the locking levers being shown in unlocked position and the upper in locked position; Figs. 3 and 4 side views showing different relative positions of the locking hooks and slots assumed by the parts in locking or unlocking the sections; and Fig. 5-a detail showing a forward hook locked.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures of the vdrawmo'.

tF'he to of the lower one of two filing case sections htte'd to be interlocked through the use of my invention is equipped with a-pair of oppositely arranged front lockin hooks 1 1, and a pair of rear locking hoo s 2-2 which are similarly directed, both front and rear hooks in the present instance extending from their base or neck towards the front of the sections. For convenience of manufacturing, the rear hooks may be of the same shape as the front hooks, as shown. The lower Wall of the upper filing case section to be interlocked with such lower section is formed with an inwardly extending hori-4 zontal flange or other frame member having opposite front slots 3-3 and rear slots lr-4l arranged to respectively receive the front and rear locking hooks above mentioned. rlhe rear hooks 2 are formed each with a locking face 2a arranged to hook forwardly over the wall in which thel slot et is formed, the rear edge of the slot and the forward edge of the neck of the hook meeting when the two sections are in vertical alignment.

Adjacent the forward slots 3 3, on the top side of the horizontal framemember in which they are formed, are pivotally mounted a pair of locking levers 5-5 which swing in a horizontal plane and have locking faces arranged to latch under the locking faces l--1a formed on the front locking hooks, the shoulders 5a at the outer or rear end of the latching portions of the lever being arranged to abut against a shoulder lb on the adjacent hook l at the rear end of the locking face la. When the two sections are in vertical alignment the rear side of the hook l! (that is, the side opposite the forwardly projecting portion) abuts against the adjacent rearward end of the slot 3.

As shown, the to s 4of the front and rear hooks are rounde and cut away downwardly towards the rear so as to facilitate engagement of the hooks in their adjacent slots by sliding the top section rearwardly and downwardly while the front end of the unit is at first elevated very slightly so. as to clear the front hooks, and then lowered by a direct transverse movement when the rear hooks have reached engaged position. When the two sections are in alignment the locking levers (which previous to the interlocking operation were in the transverse, disengaged position shown at the bottom of Fig. 2) are swung laterally into locked position, in which they stand longitudinally of the section, thus positively locking the upper section upon the front hooks of the section below so as topirevent relative `move- `mentin any directionj';vr The rear hooks lock the rear end of the Sections against disengagement,.,and. the latter can only be separated'by manipulationof the locking levers, to permitthefront end of the upper section "to be first lifted, and vthen by a reverse sliding movement shifted forwardly `in a manner the reverse of that above described.

Accidental disengagement is practically impossible as the locking levers are not in a position where they are liable to be accidentally moved and they are moreover mounted to havevsome frictional resistance to movement.

It will be understood that Words indicating the position ofthe parts in the above i description and in the claims are descriplarly directed hooks secured to a Wall of one section, the contiguous Wall of the other section being formed with a slot arranged to engage under one of said hooksy by sliding movement and also with a slot arrangedl to receive the other hook by direct transverse movement When said first mentioned hook is engaged, the rear side of said second-mem tioned hook being arranged to abut against the adjacent rearward end of said second mentioned slot when such hook enters such slot, and a swinging latch carried by vsaid second-mentioned section arranged to latch laterally under said second-mentioned hookB 2. Latching means for securing together the Walls of a pair of filing sections or they like. said means including a hook secured to one section and having a neck and a hook portion formed with a shoulder on its under side, and a swinging latch on the other portion arranged to latch under the terminal portion of said hook and abut against said shoulder thereon, said other section being slotted to receive said hook and the rear side of said hook being arranged to abut against the adjacent rearward end of said slot when the latch is engaged.

' AXEL HERMAN ANDERSSON. 

